


12/05

by sleeves



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Akaashi Keiji's Birthday, Birthday, Drabble Sequence, Fluff and Angst, Gen, happy birthday akaashi!!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:47:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27914020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleeves/pseuds/sleeves
Summary: Akaashi's birthdays, through the years.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Udai Tenma
Kudos: 4





	12/05

**Author's Note:**

> lol i'm late!  
> (belated) happy birthday to my sun! my angel! my bb!

It’s a cold day outside the hospital room in Tokyo, snow falling despite the forecast saying it wouldn’t until February.

The night is quiet, but a baby with bright blue eyes and a tangle of dark hair cries with life.

\-----

Akaashi blows six candles from his birthday cake. He’s unsure why the whole class is at home, but his parents look happy so forgets to mind the noise and the attention.

They play games, take pictures, and eat cake. Before he snuggles to his parents--both tired from cleaning up--he takes the owl plushie he received and settles himself to bed.

\-----

The house is silent when Akaashi whispers “ _Tadaima_ ”, the only reply is the sound of the door closing behind him. He tells himself it’s just like any other day. He reviews his notes, answers his homework, and passes the volleyball at the wall.

He is 11 when he waits for his parents and wonders if he’ll still be blowing candles this year.

He doesn’t, but at least he has cake.

\-----

“AKAAAAASHI! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”, the loud voice of Bokuto greets Akaashi when he enters the gym.

They’re supposed to start practice, but a corner of the gym is bright with balloons, buntings, and an owl-decorated birthday cake.

“Sorry Akaashi. We were supposed to do this after practice but, well…”, Konoha gestures to Bokuto, all too excited and in a hurry to light up the candles in the cake.

“Did coach…?” Before Akaashi can finish his question, he sees coach Yamiji wearing a party hat and giving it out to the other members.

“Is it really okay?”, Akaashi rubs the back of his neck, the skin slowly flushing a bright red.

“Of course it is!” It’s Haruki who gives Akaashi a strong pat on the back. “Happy birthday!”

“Akaashi-kun! Happy sweet sixteen!”, Suzumeda-san and Shirofuku-san both greet while carrying a plate full of onigiris.

Bokuto drags him to the cake and they sing him happy birthday. The moment he blows the candles off, the whole team decides to paint Akaashi’s face with icing.

They skipped practice today, but Akaashi doesn’t mind one bit.

\-----

He isn’t sure why Udai decided to meet _here_. A _bar_ , of all places. The room is packed and the smell of nicotine and alcohol hangs in the air. Akaashi passes through the dim lights and the soft music until he spots Udai sitting quietly by the alcove, two pints of beer on the table.

“Udai-san, you said this was an emergency.”, Akaashi tries his best not to make his voice sound clipped, but it’s hard. He thinks of the articles he hasn’t finished editing, remembers the chapters he’ll be proofreading.

Before he can decide to leave, Udai pulls him to sit down.

“Of course it is! Look at you!”, Udai passes a beer to Akaashi, “You need a drink.”

Akaashi sighs and rubs his temples, “Udai-san, I still have to edit and pass the articles tomo--”

“No you don’t. I called the office and told them you’re on leave tomorrow. It’s your birthday! This is the least I can do.”

There’s a brief moment before Akaashi releases a chuckle, and then a snort, and then a full-blown laugh makes its way around the dimly-lit room.

_Oh. Birthday. Tomorrow. Right._

Akaashi wipes a tear and finishes his beer in one go, Udai all quiet and confused at what he’s done.

“Fine, but you’re paying for everything tonight.” Akaashi grins and orders another pint of beer.

Akaashi turns 22 when he remembers what it’s like to be 16 again.

\-----

26 is an odd age, too old to make mistakes like you did in your early twenties, yet too young to dread the weight of turning thirty. As if age should hold any weight. _It’s just a number_ , Akaashi reminds himself.

And yet, he asks himself if he’s done enough, worked hard enough. He thinks of Bokuto and Hinata and how they’ve managed to achieve their dreams, remembers Myaa-sam and his accomplished onigiri business, he even contemplates the talent and hard work Udai-san did to get himself published in a successful manga distributor.

Akaashi pauses and puts both hands to his cheeks, the cold a good excuse for anyone wondering what that grown man is doing in the middle of the street.

He fixes his scarf, composes himself, and dreads coming home. Bokuto wouldn’t be back until tomorrow, Udai too busy with his Zombie Knight Zom’bish, and even Kozume said he has a livestream scheduled tonight.

Akaashi sighs. _Would it look sad if he bought his own cake for his birthday?_

He passes by a cakeshop and chooses the cake with strawberries.

_No. Never._

Akaashi smiles to himself, he can worry about age another day. What he needs to worry about right now is the snow suddenly falling like confetti.

He runs home, turns the doorknob, and enters a room full of light.

“Happy Birthday Akaashi!”

Maybe he’s just right where he is after all.

**Author's Note:**

> aaaahhh this felt like a mess but i'm glad i was able to finish it :)  
> also idk when it snows in Tokyo so sorry for the inaccurate weather forecasts lmao
> 
> hope u enjoyed!


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